In view of this, how can we limit carnality to our little set of so-called marks of worldliness (i.e., the dirty dozen) ? Could it be that we are guilty of neglect ing “ the weightier matters of the law” (Matt. 23:23) in our very limited and possibly artificial def inition of carnality? In this connection it is most interesting to note the specific items delineated by the apostle Paul as evidences o f carnality in the case o f the Corinthian believ ers. He points first, not to their “ separation from the world,” but to their shallowness of spiritual perception (I Cor. 3 :2), for he says, “ I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal.” These carnal believ ers as yet neither had mastered even the simple things of God’s Word nor developed an ability to comprehend the meat o f the Word. They evidently had no real desire for the deep things of God, hence Paul calls them carnal. I have known persons who were so sepa rated that they were almost sepa rated from themselves; yet they had no real appetite for the meat of the Word! Should they not war rant the label “ Carnal Christian” just as surely as the poker play er? Can we include one and ex clude the other? In the next verse, Paul enumer ates three more marks of carnal ity, “ For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envy ing, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (I Cor. 3 :3 ). Notice the very first in the series is that old rogue “ envy.” Do we assume ourselves to be pillars in the church and piously bemoan the carnal tobac co-user while we are permitting the green-eyed monster (envy) to roam at will in our souls? Do we secretly yearn to have the things others have or the positions they hold? If so, then are we not car nal and walk as men? Next, Paul labels “ strife” as a hallmark of carnality. Do we as
separated “ spiritual” Christians denounce vigorously the carnal practice of “movie-going” and yet find that we cannot conduct a sim ple church business meeting with out a battle royal in which all the separated and spiritual brothers refuse to give way in even the slightest opinion while blood pres sures rise and acid builds up our ulcers? I repeat, are we not carnal and walk as men? Finally, Paul identifies “divi sions” or faction-making as a third mark of carnality. My, what a strange concept Paul had of carnality!! Why, anyone knows that a carnal Christian is a per son like Mrs. Smith who wears excessive make-up or Mr. Jones who watches television on prayer meeting night! How unusual for Paul to mention such an innocent thing as “ divisions” and complete ly miss the big sins! Yet this par ticular sin, which often is so pre valent among Christians as to be almost taken for granted, is one of the most heinous sins in God’s book! In Proverbs 6:16-19, God is said to hate six things, and one of the six is the sin of sowing dis cord among the brethren. Oh! we would never think o f going to a dance, but do we with well-chosen barbs seek to set brother against brother? Do we foster cliques within the local assembly? Surely then in the clear light of God’s Word we are carnal and walk as men! I am positive that if Christians really began to understand the true nature and scope o f carnality there would be less name-calling and less labeling. There would be more individual heart-searching, more time in the prayer closet, and a greater attention toward inward as well as outward con duct. Should we not first remove the beam from our own eye and then proceed prayerfully and tact fully to assist our brother with the removal o f the mote from his eye? (Luke 6:41, 42). Curtis Mitchell, Th.D., is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Biola College. Q g j
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